Tag Archive for: Le Patron

Peking Opera’s Triumph hopes rest on Kempton performance

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Gary Moore is looking to Peking Opera to continue his stable’s fine form with the one-time Irish Derby fourth seeking to book his ticket to the Triumph Hurdle in Kempton’s Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.

Moore, whose son Jamie recently announced his retirement from the saddle, enjoyed a big-race double at Haydock last weekend as Salver confirmed himself as one of the UK’s leading juveniles and Botox Has claimed Grade Two success in the Rendlesham.

Lower Beeding-based Moore is now on the hunt for further graded honours with his former Ballydoyle inmate, who made the perfect start over hurdles at Sandown earlier this month.

He showed there he had plenty of speed to go with his staying power and he has forced a change of thinking from his trainer, with Moore conceding he never had a trip to Kempton in mind for the hot juvenile prospect.

“Going into Sandown, on his Flat form, I thought he would want a stiff two miles,” explained Moore.

“The last place I thought I would run him was Kempton, even though the Adonis was probably the obvious race anyway. But I thought he would want a stiff two rather than an easy two and as it worked out, I thought he travelled well (at Sandown) and if they had gone a better gallop it would have helped him more.

“Hopefully the track will suit him and hopefully he will show enough to be a Triumph Hurdle horse – he will need to because it’s quite a good race.”

Peking Opera jumps a hurdle on his way to victory at Sandown
Peking Opera jumps a hurdle on his way to victory at Sandown (John Walton/PA)

Moore’s success with Salver this season has seen him clipped into as short as 10-1 for the Triumph Hurdle next month, while it is Peking Opera’s exploits on the Flat combined with his Sandown hurdles debut that are driving his odds, ranging from 16s to 33-1.

Those prices could plummet with a bold showing from the son of Galileo on Saturday, but Moore says he has collected few clues on the gallops as to who may be better, with both kept separate in their work at home.

“I’ve never galloped them together,” continued Moore.

“One is an out-and-out stayer and the other should be as well, but on his pedigree and what he’s done (on the Flat), he (Peking Opera) should have a bit more class.”

Le Patron won the Henry VIII Novices' Chase in December
Le Patron won the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in December (John Walton/PA)

Moore could also be represented on the card by Grade One scorer Le Patron, who could attempt to get back on track in the Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase after seeing his jumping fall apart in the Scilly Isles last time.

The six-year-old finished a long way adrift of Nickle Back on that occasion, with Moore having plenty of respect for that rival who is also entered at the weekend.

“My biggest concern in that race is Nickle Back and I don’t know if he will run or not, but I wouldn’t be in a rush to take him on to be honest,” added Moore.



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Moore happy to keep faith with Noonan on Le Patron

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David Noonan maintains his partnership with Gary Moore’s Le Patron as the pair seek a second Grade One victory this season in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Having won the Henry VIII over two miles in early December, Moore is happy to step his charge back up in trip and, given he was not entered for the Arkle, connections seemingly view him as a horse for middle distances.

With stable jockey Jamie Moore still on the sidelines, Caoilin Quinn and Niall Houlihan have been riding the majority of the string, but as Noonan did the steering last time out, he has been entrusted with the ride once again.

“He was pretty good when he won at Sandown last time,” said Moore.

Le Patron put in a great round of jumping in the Henry VIII
Le Patron put in a great round of jumping in the Henry VIII (Steve Paston/PA)

“He’s had a bit of a break with this race in mind, but he’s got to prove it again now.

“I think moving back up in trip is a benefit. When he won first time, and I know it wasn’t a very clever race he won at Fontwell, but it was only good ground that day and I think he will be fine on it.

“David keeps the ride, as I like continuity. He knows where his feet are and he has been good over fences, so I hope he is on Saturday as well.”

Venetia Williams won the race two years ago with L’Homme Presse, who went on to win at the Cheltenham Festival, but it remains to be seen if her Djelo can scale those heights.

Djelo had been impressive until a mishap at Lingfield
Djelo had been impressive until a mishap at Lingfield (Steven Paston/PA)

He looked very good in winning his first three over fences but then Charlie Deutsch had the misfortune of being knocked out of his saddle at the very first fence in the Lightning Novices’ Chase last time out.

“He’s fine since Lingfield and Charlie gave him another pop over the fences on Thursday morning,” said Williams.

“We hope for a bit better luck this time and obviously, as you would expect for a Grade One, it’s a strong race, but he deserves to take his chance.

“This is a much stronger race than anything he has been in before but it is to be expected.”

The Paul Nicholls-trained Hermes Allen could not get close to French star Il Est Francais at Christmas but his time still compared favourably to those in the King George later on the card.

Hermes Allen was a Newbury winner on his chasing bow
Hermes Allen was a Newbury winner on his chasing bow (David Davies/PA)

“He couldn’t lay a glove on the hugely impressive Kempton winner Il Est Francais, who looked like a machine on Boxing Day,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“But he kept on to finish second and I’m sure a stiff two and a half miles will suit him well. There should be plenty of pace, which will be in the favour of Hermes Allen, who worked pleasingly on Thursday morning.”

Hermes Allen had previously recorded a convincing victory at Newbury on his debut over fences, with the reopposing Nickle Back six and a half lengths behind in second.

Jamie Snowden’s Colonel Harry finished just over a length behind Le Patron in the Henry VIII and has subsequently stepped up in trip to win the Grade Two Towton at Wetherby.

Colonel Harry with winning connections at Wetherby
Colonel Harry with winning connections at Wetherby (Nick Robson/PA)

“He’s had a wonderful season over fences so far and just got touched off in the Henry VIII,” said Snowden.

“He improved for going up in trip when winning the Towton last time out and we’ll now have another crack at a Grade One at Sandown.

“It looks a very competitive race, but our chap is in great order; he’s fresh, he’s well and bounced out of Wetherby, and fingers crossed he can run another decent race.”

Colonel Harry sports the same colours as those of Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino, who suffered a fatal fall at Cheltenham last weekend.

“It was not nice for anybody and to lose a wonderful horse like Datsalrightgino was very hard and very tough for the whole team, the owners and everyone, but hopefully we can bounce back here,” said Snowden.



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Le Patron gives Noonan first Grade One victory

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Le Patron provided jockey David Noonan with a first Grade One success in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Sent off the 16-1 outsider of the six-runner field, Gary Moore’s had won two minor handicaps prior to stepping into Grade One company.

He jumped like an old hand, especially when it mattered most in the straight, while the favourite JPR One blundered two out and saw his chance disappear.

Jockey David Noonan celebrates his first Grade One on Le Patron
Jockey David Noonan celebrates his first Grade One on Le Patron (John Walton/PA)

Colonel Harry stayed on strongly in the straight having been outpaced and briefly looked as if he could make a race of it, however, he could only close to within a length and a quarter.

Noonan said: “It will take a while to sink in and I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to ride a horse of that quality and to go and do it is amazing.

“They were quietly confident beforehand and thought he would run a big race, but whether they thought he would do that or not I don’t know. I’m glad it all worked out.

“Day in, day out you are trucking around to come to these big days and it is brilliant. To have a horse who is competitive and can do the job is even better. Hopefully it is a bit of good advertising.”

It is the second time Moore has saddled the winner of this event after the success of Ar Mad in 2015 and the handler was delighted to secure another big race victory at his favourite racecourse.

He said: “It was an ambitious shout, but when a horse jumps as he does and goes in soft ground as he does, we had to give it a try – especially the way the races are cutting up at the present time.

“It didn’t really cut up today, but full credit to Jamie (Moore) who has done all the donkey work on him and David has given him a lovely ride today.

“Liz (Avery, owner) is an elderly lady and she bought this horse over a year ago and we told her he’s a chaser, he’s not a two-mile hurdler. That’s why he ended up with the mark he had and thank god he has proven us right. Not often does that happen, but it has today.”

He went on: “Obviously it was a concern (coming back in trip) but when he jumps like he does and when the ground is as testing as it was on this track, it probably wasn’t as much of a problem.

“He wouldn’t have the pace that Ar Mad had, but he will come back now for the two-and-a-half-mile race here, the Scilly Isles.

“I love Sandown, it’s the best racecourse in the country – especially when you get a horse that jumps like he does, it’s a great spectacle.

On Noonan, he added: “The boys ride will the majority, but I think David is a lovely rider and very underused and very underrated. All the time I need to use him, I will use him.

“He’s been in and schooled him in the week and that’s the kind of person he is, I’m not sure where he lives but he doesn’t live round the corner. He’s had to come up and school this horse especially.”



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